A selection and distribution unit (SDU) in a wireless radio access network is configured to receive signal quality information about a plurality of data streams, and based on the signal quality information, to select one of the plurality of data streams to be forwarded independently of the SDU. The data streams are associated with a call session from a mobile device and received by base transceiver stations, which provide the signal quality information about the received data streams to the SDU. Only one data stream is selected by the SDU for forwarding to a network device such as a PSTN gateway. The SDU provides a multicast address to the network device for transmitting data streams to the mobile device, and commands a base transceiver station to listen at that multicast address to receive the data stream. The SDU also establishes a multicast address for a plurality of base transceiver stations to receive commands from the SDU.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus, comprising: a selection and distribution unit that is included within a base station controller, the selection and distribution unit being operable to: (a) receive signal quality information from a plurality of base transceiver stations about a plurality of data streams that are associated with a plurality of mobile stations which are capable of moving within a wireless network; (b) select one of the plurality of data streams associated with a selected one of the mobile stations to be forwarded to a next destination, the selected data stream being chosen based on at least a power level and a signal quality of the selected data stream; and (c) direct reverse communication traffic associated with the selected mobile station to a selected one or more of the plurality of base transceiver stations, wherein the selection and distribution unit determines which base transceiver station is to accommodate an associated communication session based on at least a signal strength associated with the selected mobile station, a signal quality associated with the mobile station, and a predicted position associated with the selected mobile station.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the data streams are associated with the communication session from the selected mobile station, and the selection and distribution unit is configured to select only one data stream to be forwarded.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the data streams are associated with a plurality of call sessions from the mobile stations, and the selection and distribution unit is configured to select only one data stream to be forwarded for each call session.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the data stream comprises packets using an internet protocol.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further configured to provide a multicast address to the next destination for transmitting a data stream.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 , further configured to instruct a selected one of the base transceiver stations to receive the data stream at the multicast address.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein the data stream comprises packets using an internet protocol.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further configured to establish a multicast address for issuing commands to the plurality of base transceiver stations.
9. A method for processing packets, comprising the steps of: receiving signal quality information from a plurality of base transceiver stations about a plurality of data streams that are associated with a plurality of mobile stations which are capable of moving within a wireless network; selecting one of the plurality of data streams associated with a selected one of the mobile stations to be forwarded to a next destination, the selected data stream being chosen based on at least a power level and a signal quality of the selected data stream; and directing reverse communication traffic associated with the selected mobile station to a selected one or more of the plurality of base transceiver stations, wherein a selection and distribution unit determines which base transceiver station is to accommodate an associated communication session based on at least a signal strength associated with the selected mobile station, a signal quality associated with the mobile station, and a predicted position associated with the selected mobile station.
10. A computer program product for processing packets, comprising a computer usable medium having machine readable code embodied therein for performing the steps of: receiving signal quality information from a plurality of base transceiver stations about a plurality of data streams that are associated with a plurality of mobile stations which are capable of moving within a wireless network; selecting one of the plurality of data streams associated with a selected one of the mobile stations to be forwarded to a next destination, the selected data stream being chosen based on at least a power level and a signal quality of the selected data stream; and directing reverse communication traffic associated with the selected mobile station to a selected one or more of the plurality of base transceiver stations, wherein a selection and distribution unit determines which base transceiver station is to accommodate an associated communication session based on at least a signal strength associated with the selected mobile station, a signal quality associated with the mobile station, and a predicted position associated with the selected mobile station.
11. A system for a packet processing system, comprising: means for receiving signal quality information from a plurality of base transceiver stations about a plurality of data streams that are associated with a plurality of mobile stations which are capable of moving within a wireless network; means for selecting one of the plurality of data streams associated with a selected one of the mobile stations to be forwarded to a next destination, the selected data stream being chosen based on at least a power level and a signal quality of the selected data stream; and means for directing reverse communication traffic associated with the selected mobile station to a selected one or more of the plurality of base transceiver stations, wherein a selection and distribution unit determines which base transceiver station is to accommodate an associated communication session based on at least a signal strength associated with the selected mobile station, a signal quality associated with the mobile station, and a predicted position associated with the selected mobile station.
12. The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the data streams are associated with the communication session from the selected mobile station, and the means for selecting is configured to select only one data stream to be forwarded.
13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the data streams are associated with a plurality of call sessions from the mobile station, and the means for selecting is configured to select only one data stream to be forwarded for each call session.
14. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the data stream comprises packets using an internet protocol.
15. The system as recited in claim 12 , further comprising means for providing a multicast address to the next destination for transmitting a data stream.
16. The system as recited in claim 15 , further comprising means for instructing a selected one of the base transceiver stations to receive the data stream at the multicast address.
17. The system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the data stream comprises packets using an internet protocol.
18. The system as recited in claim 12 , further comprising means for establishing a multicast address for issuing commands to the plurality of base transceiver stations.
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August 25, 2000
February 28, 2006
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